Job Type
Full-time
Description
Are you a change maker who wants to play a pivotal role in restoring vision for millions of people in low-income settings across Bangladesh?
The pioneer in social enterprise, VisionSpring, seeks an Executive to work with the Program Manager, RGIL, to manage and expand the ongoing RGIL Program with different partners in Bangladesh, in order to sustain RGIL as the single largest source of affordable reading glasses in Bangladesh. The person in this position coordinates and collaborates closely with partners to sell eyeglasses by delivering effective training, providing marketing support, and monitoring stock levels and demand forecasts. Secondarily, this role will support new program launches with organizations that have community-based field operations in order to increase the depth and breadth of eyeglass distribution channels and drive customer demand for eyeglasses in low-income communities. The person is based in VisionSpring's Dhaka office and reports to the RGIL program manager who oversees the RGIL program in Bangladesh. This is a full-time contract position with a six-month probation period.
About You
- You want to build a socially oriented business. You are self-motivated and accustomed to being a top performer in a high-growth environment. Nothing feels better than achieving your targets.
- You are a "people person," and are energized by meeting strangers and finding areas of shared interest through which to build connections and rapport.
- You love to travel to even the most remote areas and districts within Bangladesh and think of sharing public transportation with your colleagues as an adventure.
- You are strategic in your approach to deepening rural market penetration, nurturing key relationships. You're always on the lookout for new, scalable routes to market to reach your target customers.
- You see truth in numbers and keep a close eye on your sales figures. If they're off target, you'll dive into the data in order to make effective decisions and improve results.
- You enjoy mentoring and coaching your peers so that teams can succeed.
- You have the experience, maturity, confidence, and communication skills to interact with people in senior positions. You can get others excited about what they are going to do.
About Us
- We are creating access to affordable eyewear, everywhere. Clear vision creates opportunities for increased learning, work, safety, civic participation, and quality of life.
- As a social enterprise, social change motivates us first. Our focus on sales and revenue targets serves and advances our mission objective – to increase functioning, productivity, and income earning potential for our low-income consumers by correcting refractive error with eyeglasses.
- We are working to transform the systemic dysfunction of an optical market that has failed to deliver eyeglasses – a 700-year-old technology – to 2.5 billion consumers in need of vision correction, most of whom live on less than $4 a day.
- We serve low-income consumers, not as beneficiaries but as customers. Our customers expect a high quality and affordable product, and they will spend limited discretionary income for the immediate and tangible benefits of vision correction.
- By selling eyeglasses, we awaken new demand and seed a viable market. By selling new eyeglasses, we are able to serve four times as many people per dollar input than the alternative of donating recycled ones. To efficiently scale, we must deliver each new unit with lower cost.
- We run our business on both sales metrics and social impact measures. We exploit a range of organizational forms and practices to get the job done.
- We believe in scaling our impact, not our organization. We are a lean team of doers.
WHAT WE EXPECT YOU WILL DO?
Program Implementation
- Provide supportive supervision to increase quality of program implementation and hence customer experience.
- Collaborate closely with the field team and partner network to ensure program SOPs adherence to enhance program quality.
- Ensure implantation of consistence RGIL program activities across all the partners in Bangladesh.
- Building of referral network by working with RGIL partners and Institutional Partners.
- Participate in demand generation activities and customer surveys for the program strengthening.
Training Support
- Provide valuable support for training initiatives, working alongside the RGIL Program team.
- Become a Master Trainer for vision screening and reading glasses sales to training community health workers.
Data Management
- Play a crucial role in collecting, organizing, and managing program data, including sales figures, inventory levels, and customer feedback.
- Contribute to the preparation of monthly reports and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs).
Supply Chain Assistance
- Assist in monitoring stock levels and promptly report supply chain challenges.
- Support accurate demand forecasting and effective inventory management.
- Ensure regular collection of inventory status reports to avoid shortages.
- Collect customer feedback on the products.
Team Support
- Cultivate a collaborative and positive team environment, offering assistance and support to colleagues as needed.
- Identify opportunities for process enhancements and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
Additional Responsibilities
- Be prepared to assume additional tasks and responsibilities as directed by the Program Manager - RGIL to ensure the overall success of the RGIL program.
Requirements
- Bachelors or Masters degree in public health, or other relevant field from a reputable university in Bangladesh
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience. Must have experience in working in rural areas implementing community led programs/projects/sales in Bangladesh for at least 3 years or more.
- Willing to be on the road, must be traveling 70% of the time within Bangladesh supporting the partners and overseeing the field activities.
- Can provide supportive supervision, i.e. coaching and instructions in a non-disciplinary/ authoritative manner, rather as an ally and cheerleader.
- Number driven. Always check sales figures to know if they are on or off target. Uses data to change direction or add supports to improve results.
- Entrepreneurial spirit. Willing to try new things. Open minded. Looking for ways to deepen market penetration.
- Motivated by large scale work, and the opportunity to materially impact the market for a pro-poor product.
- Willing to travel via public transport.
- Excellent communication skills in Bangla and proficient in English.
- Preferred experience: Project implementation, sales role in health NGO/social enterprise, training provision and capacity building, rural marketing, partnership management, inventory and supply chain/data management.
Compensation
- Salary range is based on experience and education and as per VisionSpring Policy.
- VisionSpring offers competitive benefits, including gratuity, festival bonus, health insurance and paid time off.
TO APPLY
- We want to know more than just what you have done. We want to know who you are. What are the passions and talents that draw you to this role?
- Please update your CV/résumé to include a phrase or sentence describing the business of each organization where you have worked. Applications without this information will not be considered.
- Please submit your application, including a thoughtful cover letter and CV/résumé through LinkedIn.
- The preferred start date is January 1, 2024.
- Please note, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection processes.
At VisionSpring, diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly aligned with our core value to advance equity. Our mission is predicated on removing a fundamental barrier to full economic and social participation—uncorrected blurry vision. The values that underpin our mission energize our commitment to a diverse and inclusive team. A diverse team also allows VisionSpring to approach problems with nuance and develop unique insights that drive an outsized positive impact in the world. We actively recruit, develop, and retain talented people from diverse backgrounds and support everyone in being exactly who they are. VisionSpring is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes people from all experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply.
